


Snow In Night

by moonofmorrigan



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Barduil - Freeform, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Love, M/M, Reconciliation, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 09:26:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10918998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonofmorrigan/pseuds/moonofmorrigan
Summary: AU: After an argument with Bard, Thranduil agrees to meet him at the bridge they met at. Unsure if he stepped over the line, he isn't even sure Bard will really show up, and if he does will it be the end?





	Snow In Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheMirkyKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMirkyKing/gifts).



> DISCLAIMER: This story is a work of fanfiction, and is not endorsed by the originator(s) of the work. All official characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement, offense, or solicitation is intended. This story has been written for entertainment value only. No profit is being made from this writing. Note, all original characters contained herein copyrighted to MoonofMorrigan
> 
>  
> 
> Honestly, I wrote this in about 3 hours for a sick friend (TheMirkyKing) to hope it gives her day some distraction. I know it's not my best, but I did put heart and soul into it as always.

 

 

Snow was falling. Wasn't the day they met a year ago just like this? Snow was already thick on the ground and falling then too. He sighed, looking up at the sky. He used his free hand to pull the black coat closer around him. He kept walking. Soon he would be at the bridge. Soon he would see him again. A hint of a smile crossed his lips at the thought, and his pace quickened.

He stopped momentarily under a street lamp, the strong light engulfing his pale features so much that his hair and face nearly glowed, and watched as a car pulled into the drive way of to a popular restaurant across the street. He remembered that he needed to take him there some time - maybe even tonight. He toyed with the box in his pocket that he refused to let go of. He worried for the thousandth time that Bard would never wear it. Except for the gold chain about his neck, Bard was not prone to wearing jewelry.

He looked ahead, continuing to walk again, and bit his lip in anticipation seeing the bridge come into view. His pace quickened as did his heart rate. He checked the time on his watch when he stopped at the crosswalk that led on to the bridge. 

They had an argument the day before. It caused Bard to storm out red faced and more upset than Thranduil had ever seen him. Once he got off his pedestal and realized how much of a jerk he had been (always demanding to be the one with not only the last word, but to be right), he apologized in voice mail after voice mail, text after text - to the point of begging for forgiveness. Finally, at about 2 am he received a return text that simply told him to meet him here in a little less than 5 minutes time.

Thranduil had tossed and turned all night. Trying to note that at least Bard was talking to him at that point. Unable to sleep, Thranduil rose early and decided to go out. He resisted the urge to text or call Bard all day, and half of the evening knowing he would either be asleep still, at work, or just otherwise busy. He was always busy. It was part of what the argument had been about. He had passed a jewelers and seen the gift that the box contained in the window. It seemed to just have been placed there especially for Thranduil to find it just for Bard.

Thranduil crossed the road when the sign turned to "walk" and made his way to the middle bench where Thranduil had met Bard a year ago. His face fell when he seen no one there. He looked at his watch. He was not late. He was precisely on time. His sigh was heavy as he looked about him, then over the railing at the snow covered ice of the river below. The park the bridge led to illuminated by the street lamps, it's paths winding out of view into a winter wood. He closed his eyes trying to convince himself that Bard would come. He was just running late. The problem was, even in bad weather, Bard was never late. Thranduil closed his eyes shut, and open again, and sat down on the snow covered bench dejectedly. Did Bard ask him to come here just to make him feel foolish, and stand him up? The idea was absurd. The nonetheless as Thranduil leaned forward, finally letting go of the box in his pocket for the first time since he bought it, and hung his head in his hands.

He was not a crier, but he wanted to do nothing more at the moment. Refusing to give in to the bile coming up in his mouth and the sting in his eyes, he simply closed them and tangled his fingers in his white gold hair.  

It was not until Bard stormed out last night that Thranduil realized how much he took him for granted. How much he took for granted in general. On top of it, he did not realize just how deeply he was in love with him. It was just like some old love song that whined about how foolish a person was until they lost it. He was about to stop being manly about it, and start bawling like a baby, when he heard a throat clear above him.

Looking up, the sight that met him nearly made him start crying with joy. He came! He was standing there looking at him with a look of concern, and his brow creased even more when he seen the look on Thranduil's face when he peered up at him.

"Are you okay?" Bard asked quietly.

A relieved laugh escaped Thranduil's lips as he stood and without a second thought threw his arms about Bard's frame.  "For a long, horrible minute I didn't think you..." He didn't finish but merely gathered himself together and pulled away from him.

"You thought I wouldn't come?" Bard queried with raised eyebrows and a sense of disbelief was in his voice.

"You were late." Thranduil replied fighting back the feeling of just wanting to wrap his arms around Bard again. Bard cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. Thranduil clarified with a slight exasperation, "You're never late!"

"Oh." Bard looked down, and away, then back up at Thranduil. "Well, there was a reason for it, but I'll get to it later." Thranduil gave him a confused look. Bard tsked and started brushing snow off of Thranduil's back. "You're gonna catch your death. What were you thinking sitting down on a snow covered bench like that?" He looked up and held his hands up. "Never mind, you already told me. I'm sorry I was late. Anyway," he gestured to the path ahead of them that led over the bridge into the park, "let's walk for a couple of minutes. The car is in the park's lot anyway."

Nervousness started to pool in Thranduil's stomach. As they began to walk beside one each other, another horrible thought began to shape itself in Thranduil's mind. The longer they remained silent the more it festered. What if Bard just wanted to break up? What if all the horrible things he had said last night just were the tipping off point? Things had been tense lately. The two had been snapping at each other for weeks now. Saying the most awful things to the other - always regretting it afterwards and not truly meaning a word of it in the end. At least, the things Thranduil would shout out in the heat of the moment anyway.

Thranduil had just been laid off of his job at the firm he was at. Money was tight. Their kids were at each other's throats constantly when they were actually home all together. Though he did note the look on Sigrid, Legolas and Tilda's faces in the morning when he made breakfast and sent them to school that they looked terrified. As if they would be uprooted and broken apart. The move in together was hard enough on them. Now that they were literally so used to each other, the children could hardly do without the other. And what about Thranduil himself? He had no idea how he would do without Bard. He loved him far too much. The idea made his stomach churn.

As they rounded the bend heading to the parking lot Bard broke the silence.

"What did you do today?"

The question was casual enough. It was the same thing he asked Thranduil every day.

"Nothing much. What about you? How was work?"

The normal question came out in an uneasy tone.

Bard stopped, glanced at him for a moment, then started walking a moment. "I didn't go to work."

Thranduil gave him an astonished look and was so shocked that he didn't even realize he had stopped walking until Bard was four steps ahead of him. Bard never missed work. Even on days he needed to call off, he never did.

"Why didn't you go to work?" Thranduil called while using his long legs as an advantage to catch up.

Bard gave him a hard look, then shook his head. "You honestly have to ask that?"

Thranduil merely gawked at him, "Yes."

Bard stopped and turned on him, giving him a look that seethed with irritation. "I didn't go to work because I was so upset. If you'd use that pretty little head of yours in a sensible way you'd have figured that out without asking me!"

Thranduil winced. Bard didn't shout at him. In fact his voice was quite monotone, it was just that look on his face - that exasperated, end-of-his-rope look that shouted at him. Thranduil had stopped as well, and looked away unable to meet that expression head on. He could face a tiger and wrestle it to the ground without batting a lash, but Bard - he felt as helpless as a kitten when he was angry with him. "It's just you never missed work. Even when your sister died. You still went."

He heard Bard sigh heavily, and raised his head to meet his gaze. His face had softened, and an apologetic look was in his eye. He shrugged as he shook his head, then flicked a hand to gesture them to continue ahead. "Come on. Last thing I need is you in the hospital with an pneumonia. You're wet through, and this snow is getting thicker."

They made the rest of their way silently to the car, and once they piled in, Bard turned the ignition and put the heater on full blast. Once the heat kicked in Thranduil finally realized how cold he really was. Somehow he hadn't noticed it until then.

While he was warming his hands, Bard replied calmly, "We need to stop doing this to one another." Thranduil looked over at him alarmed. Choosing to remain silent, and see where Bard was going with the train of thought, he merely watched the dark-haired man's profile. "If we don't stop doing this to one another we'll break apart faster than crumbling bread." Bard turned to face Thranduil, a serious look on his face. "So, tell me now, are we going to work this out, or are we going to keep at each other like two old crows? We have to stop..." Bard looked away trailing off. Thranduil noticed his eyes were beginning to mist over. He cleared his throat. The tears never fell but a jaded look overtook all of him. "My sister was sick. I was able to handle that. I get sick with colds, and in my line of work, I get injured on occasion. But last night... then today... I couldn't handle it. It'd be like cutting my chest open and ripping my heart out."

Thranduil remained silent through all this, finally conjecturing in a small voice, "I agree." Bard looked back at him, and Thranduil laid a tentative hand on Bard's, "I felt the same way... I, I really don't know how I'll carry on with out you. I know I've said some horrible things..."

Bard entwined his fingers with Thranduil's at this and patted the top of his hand with another, "We both have. So, let's not play the blame game here..."

Thranduil nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat. "So, are we starting over?" he asked in a hopeful voice.

"No." Bard answered simply, then gave him a teasing smile, "We're in too deep already to start over. No, I say we just pick the pieces up and put them back where they belong in this puzzle of ours."

Thranduil began to laugh in relief. The outburst made Bard give him a quizzical look. Thranduil pulled himself together finally and blurted out as he seen a dark look coming into Bard's eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm just so relieved... happy. I really thought for one long, awful moment there..."

Bard scoffed. "You really think I'd ditch you after everything we've built together? You really don't have the sense God gave you sometimes!"

This sobered Thranduil up completely. The comment usually would take a shot at his ego, but he knew it was true. He grew up in a wealthy family, who disowned him after he divorced because he couldn't stand pretending about his sexual orientation anymore. As such, the common sense granted to most people in the world was lost to him.

He nodded. "You're right. I do lack common sense. Sorry."

Bard gave him a wistful look. "You're not that senseless Thranduil. It's just you sometimes don't really... you know, think things out enough. You're impulsive but anxious. That has it's perks. It just doesn't work well in other situations."

Thranduil nodded looking away.

"Speaking of impulsive..." Bard pulled his hand away from where it was resting on top of Thranduil's and he reached in his coat pocket. "I bought this just before I met you up here. It's why I was late."

Thranduil looked on shocked as Bard revealed the same kind of black box as the one in his own pocket. Bard handed it to Thranduil with a slightly embarrassed expression. Thranduil took it and merely stared at it in disbelief. It just was not only something else Bard normally would not do, but also was from the same jeweler and was the same size and shape as the one in his pocket. "Open it." Thranduil glanced at Bard when he gave the command in a gentle tone. Upon opening it he was shocked to find a bracelet in it that actually was identical to the same one he had yet to give to Bard. He took it out of the case and turned it over and let out a chuckle when he seen the plate was engraved on the back with their initials and the phrase "snow in night" which they often used as a phrase to remember how they met.  He stared at it in disbelief, turning it over and over again.

After several moments of this Bard's voice cut into his thoughts. "Don't you like it?"

Thranduil snorted out a laugh as he looked up. "Yes. YES!" Bard gave him an unconvinced look. "It's just... It's the strangest thing..." Thranduil reached into his pocket and took out the black case, and handed it to Bard.

Bard gave it an apprehensive look and opened it. He laughed when he seen it, and went in to straight out giggles when he pulled it out and turned it over, seeing the same exact initials and phrase on the back. "Dear God! If this isn't a sign we're meant to be together, I don't know what is!"  Both men sat chuckling over the coincidence for several minutes. "Finally Bard sobered and gave Thranduil a radiant smile. "Come on. Let's go home."

Thranduil nodded beginning to settle in his seat, and to reach over to pull the seat belt on.

"Oh wait! I forgot one last thing." Bard wry voice.

Thranduil turned to look at him with puzzled eyes. Bard pulled Thranduil to him by the nape and crushed his mouth on Thranduil's. The kiss quickly became deeper and when both men pulled away, their breathing came heavily. Bard settled back in his seat with a mischievous grin. "That should warm you up enough to get you home."

Thranduil shook his head with a crooked smile. "You're going to pay for that proper when you get home."

Bard smirked. "I should hope so."

He turned the car's lights on and put it in gear for the road home.

~END~

 


End file.
